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I started my Reiki journey almost by accident. Now, when I look back, I know it wasn’t by accident at all.
Two years ago, my cat, Chester, developed intestinal lymphoma. This news hit me very hard, and I began a desperate search for something that would cure him. During one of my daily internet searches for a cancer cure, I found the Bright Haven Sanctuary website. After looking around the site, I found a link to an “Animal Reiki” class being offered at Bright Haven by Kathleen Prasad of Animal Reiki Source. At the time, I had no idea what Reiki energy healing was, but I was willing to try anything to heal Chester. I checked out Kathleen’s site and noticed that she offered treatments, so I decided to have her do a treatments on Chester for a few weeks. During his scheduled treatments, Chester just slept, and I really didn’t notice anything different about him. I began to wonder if those Reiki treatments were even working, or was I just flushing my money away. I mean, how can someone from up in northern California “send” energy healing to a cat down in southern California? I had my doubts, but I tried to remain positive. I checked out Kathleen’s site again, and saw that she was having a Level I Reiki class up at the Bright Haven Sanctuary in Santa Rosa California. I thought why not, so I signed up. At that very point my Reiki journey began.
After that initial weekend class, I would offer Reiki to Chester every day. We would go out in the backyard, I’d lay down a towel and sit down and set my intent to let the energy flow in the hopes that it would heal him. Chester was not an affectionate cat at all, but everyday during our time together outside, he would come over from wherever he was at in the yard, and curl up in front of me during the treatment. And after we were done, he would nudge me with his cute little head. I know it was a show of thanks. 5 months later I took the next class. Afterwards, I rushed home with the anticipation that my new Reiki experience would somehow make my sessions with Chester more powerful, and finally he would be healed.
3 ½ months later, Chester made his transition and left me with a broken heart and doubts about Reiki. I didn’t understand. I truly thought that Reiki would heal him. I practiced and offered him Reiki everyday and it didn’t work. He died despite all of my efforts.
Disillusioned, I decided at that moment that I was going to take a break from Reiki, and I really wasn’t sure if I’d practice again.
They say time heals all wounds, but another great thing about time is it allows one to reflect on one’s own experiences. It was during the time away from practicing Reiki, that I realized that I had forgotten what Reiki was all about. The healing system of Reiki is not a cure, but instead a tool that helps us remember what we are all apart of. The constant flow of energy that exists all around us, in everything. Reiki was developed to help bring balance to the mind, body and spirit, and with balance comes healing. Chester knew exactly what the energy was doing. It brought comfort for his ailing body.
Healing is not always as we think it should be. What ails all of us and, of course, our animal companions, will not always be in plain view, and that’s why it’s so important when working with the system of Reiki- to just let it do its thing, it knows what to do, and the animals know what to do with it.
I received my Master/Teacher training from Kathleen Prasad, and then continued with the very traditional Japanese teachings of Reiki, Shinpiden Level III Master/Teacher taught by Frans Stiene of the International House of Reiki.
Barbara Bettke lives in Los Angeles with her partner, and their 2 dogs and 4 cats.
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